Daily Devotion

“I am no longer a stranger here. My life and my ministry belong to these people, and their destiny is my destiny.”

Daniel Nelson · Words spoken by Daniel Nelson to his fellow missionaries upon becoming a Chinese citizen in 1931

Scripture

Ephesians 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,

Reflection

Daniel Nelson rooted himself in Northeast China for forty years, bidding farewell to his identity as a 'stranger' and binding his life to the destiny of the local people. This beautifully reflects the revelation of Ephesians 2:19: in Christ, we are no longer strangers and aliens, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of God's household. Faith is not a lofty, cross-cultural observation from above, but a deep integration through a renewed mind. When we lay down our superiority and barriers, and willingly humble ourselves in the places we serve, we can break down the walls of race and identity through the practice of love, truly becoming family members in God's household who love one another and share a common destiny.